OTR Flatbed Company Driver
CDL-A OTR Flatbed Truck Driver — San Antonio, TX
Hiring Area: San Antonio, TX • South Texas Operating Base
OTR Routes Steel & Building Materials Late-Model Sleeper Trucks
Haul steel products, building materials and industrial freight from South Texas to regional and interstate destinations. Earn $1,600–$2,150 gross per week at $0.62–$0.70 per mile, with a $1,500 staged sign-on bonus and home time typically every 2–3 weeks.
Weekly Gross Pay
$1,600–$2,150
Estimated Annual: $83,200–$111,800
Mileage Pay $0.62–$0.70 CPM
Sign-On Bonus Up to $1,500
Home Time Every 14–21 days
Paid Miles 2,400–2,850 typical
Freight Flatbed / Industrial
Experience Flatbed preferred
Run interstate flatbed freight for a medium-sized carrier operating out of the San Antonio area. This is a hands-on OTR position, not a dedicated heavy-haul or oversize operation.
- Transport structural steel, pipe, fabricated metal and building materials.
- Secure loads with chains, binders, straps and edge protection.
- Tarp freight when required by the commodity or shipper.
- Check axle weights, securement and shipping documents before departure.
- Recheck securement during the trip and report any load movement.
- Coordinate appointments, delays and reloads with dispatch.
- Complete inspections, ELD logs and signed delivery paperwork.
Mileage pay depends on experience and the assigned rate. Weekly earnings vary with dispatched miles, loading delays, routing and qualifying accessorial payments. The typical range assumes approximately 2,400–2,850 paid miles plus applicable load-related pay.
Weekly Gross $1,600–$2,150
Typical Mileage Rate $0.62–$0.70 CPM
Typical Annualized Range $83,200–$111,800
Tarp / Securement Pay About $40 per qualifying load
Detention Per policy, with documented delay
Sign-On Bonus Up to $1,500, paid in stages
Orientation Paid, subject to company policy
Annual figures are weekly gross estimates multiplied by 52 and are not guaranteed salaries. Bonus and accessorial payments are additional when earned.
Home Time Typically every 14–21 days
Trip Length Usually 5–9 days per dispatch cycle
Weekly Paid Miles 2,400–2,850 typical
Operating Area Texas, Gulf Coast, Midwest and Southeast
Schedule OTR, appointment-dependent
Home-time dates should be coordinated with dispatch in advance. Weather, customer schedules, available reloads and hours-of-service limits can affect arrival plans.
Tractors Freightliner Cascadia / Kenworth T680
Fleet Age Mostly 3–6 years, with some older units
Cab Sleeper, automatic transmission
Trailers 48–53 ft flatbeds
Equipment Assignment Assigned when available
Standard equipment includes ELD, GPS, electronic inspection reporting and fleet communications. Depending on tractor model, safety systems may include collision mitigation and lane-departure alerts. Drivers receive company chains, binders, straps, edge protectors and tarps for assigned freight. Trailer condition and available securement gear should be checked before each trip. Report mechanical defects through the ELD and contact operations if the truck or trailer is unsafe to continue.
Freight is sourced from South Texas industrial suppliers, metal service centers and building-material distributors. Loads and destinations change with customer demand and reload availability.
- San Antonio, TX → Dallas–Fort Worth, TX via I-35.
- San Antonio, TX → Houston, TX via I-10.
- San Antonio, TX → Oklahoma City, OK via I-35.
- San Antonio, TX → Kansas City, MO via I-35 and I-44.
- San Antonio, TX → Memphis, TN via I-30 and I-40, depending on routing.
- San Antonio, TX → Atlanta, GA via I-10, I-12, I-59 and I-20.
- San Antonio, TX → Birmingham, AL via I-10, I-12 and I-59.
- Return freight may originate around Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Oklahoma or Midwest industrial markets.
These are representative freight corridors, not guaranteed dedicated lanes. Dispatch selects loads based on customer appointments, equipment positioning, legal routing and available driving hours.
- Receive load instructions, pickup number, delivery appointment and securement requirements.
- Check in at the shipper gate and confirm the load and trailer assignment.
- Inspect freight placement, axle weights, chains, straps and edge protection.
- Collect the bill of lading and confirm any seal or paperwork requirements.
- Recheck securement within the first 50 miles and at required inspection stops.
- Deliver, obtain a signed proof of delivery and report detention with supporting timestamps.
- Accept the next load when dispatch confirms the reload and legal driving hours allow.
About the Carrier
This mid-sized trucking operation handles general flatbed freight for industrial suppliers, construction-material distributors and manufacturing customers. The fleet combines regularly maintained sleeper tractors with practical open-deck trailers and standard load-securement equipment. Dispatch works directly with drivers on pickup appointments, delivery changes and reload planning. Most freight moves under ordinary legal-weight and legal-dimension rules rather than specialized heavy-haul permits. OTR drivers should expect a working fleet, customer-specific loading procedures and occasional waiting at live-load facilities. The operation prioritizes safe securement, clear communication and keeping trucks productive without promising identical miles or home dates every week.
Health Benefits Medical, dental and vision options
Retirement 401(k), subject to plan terms
Orientation Paid onboarding
Securement Gear Company-provided for assigned loads
Roadside Support Maintenance coordination and ELD assistance
Home-Time Parking Terminal parking, subject to availability
- Valid Class A CDL and eligibility for interstate driving.
- At least 12 months of recent tractor-trailer experience preferred.
- Previous flatbed experience preferred; securement skills will be evaluated.
- Meet applicable DOT medical, drug-screening and Clearinghouse requirements.
- Acceptable motor vehicle record and employment history.
- Ability to handle chains, binders and tarps and work outdoors safely.
- Age 21 or older for interstate commercial driving.
Hiring remains subject to carrier insurance standards, verification and applicable federal requirements. HazMat is not normally required for the listed freight.
- Live loading and crane availability at steel and fabrication yards.
- Appointment changes or unfinished freight at pickup.
- Additional time for tarping, securement and weight adjustments.
- Congestion around San Antonio, Houston and Dallas–Fort Worth.
- Wind, thunderstorms and other conditions affecting open-deck safety.
- Deadhead miles when suitable reloads are limited in smaller markets.
- Detention claims requiring accurate arrival and release records.
1
Apply Online
Submit CDL details and recent employment history.
2
Recruiter Review
Discuss flatbed experience, pay and OTR home-time expectations.
3
Safety Verification
Complete record checks, employment verification and required screening.
4
Orientation
Review safety procedures, equipment and first-dispatch details.
Q: How much can an OTR flatbed driver earn each week? ▼
The estimated gross range is $1,600–$2,150 per week. Actual earnings depend on paid miles, the driver's CPM rate, qualifying tarp payments and other eligible accessorial pay.
Q: How often can I expect to get home? ▼
Home time is typically scheduled every 14–21 days. Coordinate preferred dates with dispatch because freight schedules, weather and available driving hours can affect the return.
Q: Is flatbed experience required? ▼
Flatbed experience is preferred. Applicants with suitable tractor-trailer experience may be considered if they demonstrate safe load-securement skills and meet training requirements.
Q: Will I need to tarp every load? ▼
No. Tarping depends on the commodity and customer instructions. Some loads require full tarps, while others can move without them. Qualifying tarp work may earn about $40 per load.
Q: Does this job involve oversize or heavy-haul freight? ▼
The regular freight mix consists mainly of legal-weight, legal-dimension flatbed loads. Specialized permitted heavy-haul work is not a normal part of this position.
Q: Are loads mostly live-loaded or drop-and-hook? ▼
Most steel and building-material shipments involve live loading or unloading. Drop-and-hook opportunities are less common than in many dry-van operations.
Q: What happens if a shipper delays my pickup? ▼
Notify dispatch, record arrival and release times, and retain supporting paperwork. Detention compensation depends on the company's policy and whether the delay qualifies.
Q: Is a HazMat endorsement required? ▼
HazMat is not normally required for the advertised steel, pipe and building-material freight. The required credentials depend on the actual shipment and applicable regulations.
San Antonio offers company drivers access to several types of CDL-A employment, including regional distribution, construction-material hauling, local delivery, tanker work and long-haul trucking. OTR flatbed jobs serve a more specialized segment because drivers must understand load balance, chain and binder selection, edge protection, tarp handling and changing weather conditions. Employers compete for drivers who can work safely at steel yards and industrial facilities without relying on constant supervision. For experienced applicants, comparing the mileage rate alone is not enough: paid miles, accessorial compensation, dispatch consistency, equipment condition and realistic home-time arrangements all affect the value of an offer. This position is aimed at drivers who prefer interstate freight and can remain out for multiple weeks. Applicants should confirm their individual CPM rate, bonus payment schedule, insurance eligibility and flatbed training requirements with the recruiter before accepting an offer.
San Antonio's location along I-35 and I-10 connects South Texas freight with Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and interstate markets farther north and east. Industrial suppliers, metal distributors, fabrication businesses and construction-material yards around San Antonio, Schertz, Seguin and New Braunfels provide potential sources of open-deck shipments. I-35 supports northbound movements toward Central and North Texas, while I-10 connects the region with Houston and the Gulf Coast before continuing east or west. Longer assignments may extend through Oklahoma, the lower Midwest and the Southeast, depending on customer demand and reload availability. Construction activity and industrial shipping schedules can create uneven pickup volumes, while summer heat, thunderstorms and high winds affect outdoor securement work. Traffic around Loop 410, I-35 and I-10 also requires appointment planning. Drivers should expect a mix of live loading, variable wait times and changing return-load locations rather than a fixed daily route.